1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to geometric puzzles and more particularly, to multi-polyhedral puzzles characterized by four tetrahedra and an octahedron which are divided into respective sets of multiple polyhedron blocks having various configurations, each face of each polyhedron block being one of multiple colors. In a preferred embodiment each octahedron or tetrahedron is divided into a set of polyhedron blocks which is different from the others. In solving the puzzles, each of the octahedron and four tetrahedra is assembled from the corresponding set of polyhedron blocks in an octahedron or tetrahedron-shaped transparent case, according to one of three levels of difficulty. At the most advanced level of difficulty, the octahedron and each of the tetrahedra are assembled from the polyhedron blocks such that abutting faces of adjacent polyhedron blocks match in color and a prescribed color pattern is formed on the respective faces of the octahedron or tetrahedron. At an intermediate level of difficulty, the polyhedron blocks are fitted together to form the prescribed color pattern on the faces of the assembled octahedron or tetrahedron, without regard to matching colors of abutting polyhedron block faces. At the elementary level of difficulty, each of the octahedron and tetrahedra is assembled from the polyhedron blocks irrespective of matching colors of abutting faces on adjacent polyhedron blocks and color pattern formation on the respective faces of the assembled octahedron or tetrahedron. The assembled tetrahedra can be arranged on respective faces of the assembled octahedron to form a large tetrahedron, for storage or packaging purposes.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Puzzles have entertained and amused mankind for centuries. In some cases, puzzles have served as educational or instructional tools, in addition to entertainment. A variety of two-dimensional puzzles and games which aid in learning the relationships of similar designs on planar surfaces, are described in such books as "Mathematical Magic Show", by Martin Gardner (1978) and "Puzzles Old and New", by Lewis Hoffman (1893).
Three-dimensional puzzles which require the assembly of smaller three-dimensional structures into a final, larger structure are well known. Comprehensive books have been written which describe a variety of such puzzles, for example, "Puzzles Old and New- How To Make and Solve Them", by J. Slocum and J. Botermans. Most of the three-dimensional puzzles known in the art do not require that designs or indicia on the surfaces of puzzle components be matched in order to complete the puzzle, only that the pieces be assembled to form the final structure. An example of such a puzzle was described in 1970 by House of Games in Canada, which included a cubic puzzle including thirteen rectangular pieces having nine colors disposed on their surfaces. Solving the puzzle requires locating nine different colors on each exposed surface of the final cubic structure. U.S. Pat. No. 3,788,645, discloses a mathematical cube puzzle in which four separate cubes have on each of their edges, one of a set of three color patterns. The object of the puzzle is to arrange the various cubes relative to one another such that the colors associated with all exposed adjacent playing edges of different cubes match one another. The puzzle has multiple solutions and the pieces can be arranged into a wide variety of different shapes, few of which are symmetrical. The educational value of the puzzle lies in facilitating an understanding of mathematical combinations, but the puzzle teaches little about three-dimensional geometric relationships. A number of U.S. patents, in particular U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,637,216 and 3,655,201, describe novel three-dimensional mechanical device puzzles. The mechanical device puzzles detailed in those patents are characterized by multiple pieces which are permanently attached to one another and do not provide the puzzle solver with three dimensional geometric concepts and spatial relationships while solving the puzzle. Although the puzzles provide the solver with the challenge of matching colors or indicia on exposed surfaces of the puzzle pieces, matching the internal surfaces of the pieces is not an object in solving the puzzle. A puzzle called "Instant Insanity" requires matching colors on the faces of four cubes and has only one solution, which is achieved by trial-and-error. No logic is required to solve the puzzle and the final solution is not a true three-dimensional solution. Thus, the puzzle does not provide education in three-dimensional spacial relationships.
Several U.S. patents describe three-dimensional puzzles which are assembled by fitting together multiple, smaller three-dimensional shapes. Typical of these puzzles is the "Tetrahedron Blocks Capable of Assembly Into Cubes and Pyramids", detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,258,479, dated Mar. 31, 1981, to Patricia A. Roane. The puzzle of that invention includes three sets of tetrahedron blocks, each set capable of assembly into a cube, with all the cubes being identical in size. The faces of adjacent tetrahedron blocks magnetically attract each other for assembly into the cube structure. Preferably, the tetrahedron blocks are colored in such a manner that faces of the same size and shape are colored alike, and faces of different sizes and shapes have different colors. U.S. Pat. No. 5,338,034, dated Aug. 16, 1994, to Sabine Asch, discloses a "Three-Dimensional Puzzle" including multiple, irregular pyramids which are assembled into a regular tetrahedron. The apexes of the irregular pyramids all meet at one point in the interior of the in the assembled tetrahedron, and the bases of the irregular pyramids form the regular tetrahedron surfaces. Another "Three-Dimensional Puzzle" to Sabine Asch, is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,344,148, dated Sep. 6, 1994. The puzzle includes multiple puzzle bodies which are fitted together as chain links to form a chain. The chain can be folded to shape a desired polyhedron such as a tetrahedron, cube or octahedron, for example. U.S. Pat. No. 5,407,201, dated Apr. 18, 1995, to Timothy D. Whitehurst, describes an "Educational Puzzle and Method of Construction". The puzzle includes multiple, three-dimensional pieces which feature indicia overlapping their edges. When a three-dimensional geometric structure is correctly assembled from the pieces, completed indicia appear on all surfaces of the assembled geometric puzzle, with the portion of the indicia on each piece of the surface matching the complimentary portion of the indicia on the adjacent piece.
An object of this invention is to provide multi-polyhedral puzzles for learning about inscribed and circumscribed polyhedra, dual polyhedra and truncation of polyhedra, which puzzle is characterized by four tetrahedra and an octahedron, each assembled from a variety of polyhedron blocks.
Another object of this invention is to provide multi-polyhedral puzzles characterized by four tetrahedra and an octahedron each assembled from a corresponding set of color-matching polyhedron blocks.
Still another object of this invention is to provide multi-polyhedral puzzles including an octahedron and form tetrahedra characterized by various dissections into respective sets of polyhedron blocks, from which each tetrahedron or octahedron is solved or assembled according to one of three levels of difficulty, which typically includes color-matching of abutting block faces.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide multi-polyhedral puzzles characterized by four tetrahedra and an octahedron, each of which can be assembled from a corresponding set of polyhedron blocks in such a way as to form a prescribed color pattern on each face of the corresponding octahedron or tetrahedron for exploring various permutations and combinations.
A still further object of this invention is to provide multi-polyhedral puzzles including an octahedron and four tetrahedra which are assembled from respective sets of polyhedron blocks, each face of each block being one of multiple colors, wherein same-colored faces of adjacent polyhedron blocks in each octahedron or tetrahedron set can be placed in abutting relationship to assemble the corresponding octahedron or tetrahedron in such a manner that a prescribed color pattern is formed on each face of the octahedron or tetrahedron.